


Her Girl Friday

by Equus



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Archaeologist!Lena, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, Mutual Pining, Pilot!Kara, Slow Burn Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, SuperCorp, Supercorp endgame
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:27:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21912145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Equus/pseuds/Equus
Summary: Kara was not at all the pilot Lena was expecting when she hired a bush plane to fly her first archaeological mission. Despite their instant attraction, Lena is determined not to risk her mission, while Kara is determined not to risk her professional reputation by getting involved. Will Lena succeed in her quest? More importantly, will these stubborn idiots ever hook up?
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 47
Kudos: 557





	1. When the Archaeologist Met the Bush Pilot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you read my last story, this one will be much shorter and less angsty. A bit of a slow burn, but they will get there ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story switches point-of-view - the switch is denoted by '+++'.

Lena read through the letter for the third time, then picked up the phone to call Sam. She still didn't quite believe it was real. She began reading it out loud to her best friend and colleague at Ravenwood Institute for Mesoamerican Studies.

"Dr. Luthor-

We are pleased to offer you partial funding for your proposal: "The Lost City of Azcapotzalco: In Search of the Arcata Medallion." Unfortunately, we not currently able to fund you for your 2-year request. However, your work shows promise and we would like to offer support for a 1-year pilot project. If you show sufficient progress during that time, then you are welcome to re-apply to receive an additional 1-2 years of funding for your research...."

"Lena, that's fantastic! They were really impressed - you've got your money!" Sam broke in before she could finish reading.

"Well, they weren't too impressed, or they would have fully funded me."

"It doesn't matter. You'll show them what you can do with those startup funds - I'm sure you can do it! It's as good as money in the bank."

Lena smiled to herself. She was sure she could do it too, given half a chance. Or a third of a chance, which was what they had given her. 

"Thanks, Sam. Thanks for believing in me."

Lena knew her mother would scoff to hear how excited she was about getting about a sum of money that would seem paltry to her. And there was a time that Lena herself would have thought it wasn't much either. But ever since she'd gone into archaeology instead of the family business, her parents had cut her off, and she had quickly learned the value of a dollar.

"So, when do you start?"

"As soon as the semester ends. I have to finish teaching my archaeometry class, then I can go for the summer break. Which is perfect because there's a lot of logistics and ground work I need to figure out before I get there. And now I've got to completely re-work my budget plan for Year 1. I want to do as much as possible on this money, so I'm going to re-evaluate some of my more expensive costs to see if I can find cheaper options."

"Good thinking. What are your big-ticket items?"

"Well, the most expensive is the plane. I absolutely can't give up the plane. With all my equipment, the difficult terrain, and weather, I'll be too slow moving between search sites." Lena took a deep breath. "But maybe I can find a less expensive plane and pilot...Maybe there's a pilot that could also do outfitting, that would save on paying an additional person to take care of camp and food..."

"Ugh, I do not like the sound of that at all! You need to be safe, Lena."

"I'll be fine, Sam. I'll make sure I find a pilot with a lot of experience. Maybe I won't have the newest plane..." She insisted. "The other big ticket item is my field assistant. I'm thinking I just go it alone. It'll be a lot of work, but I can do it. If it's just me then I can get by with a smaller plane - some kind of 2-seat bush plane."

"Lena, that's a ton of work trying to do it all yourself! And that's a lot of pressure you'll be under to make it work. Do you really need to give up an assistant to make it viable?"

"I can do it, Sam."

"I know." Sam said and Lena could hear the smile of pride in her voice.

"Thanks, Sam." Lena said, taking a deep breath. "What would I do without you?"

***

That was how Lena found herself in the middle of the Tepanec jungle, watching the precarious landing of the cheapest bush plane available in the region. She held her breath as she watched it come to a rough landing in the pouring rain, then walked quickly out to the improvised runway to greet her pilot.

She stood under the wing of the plane and watched as the door opened and the pilot crawled out. Her mouth dropped open in amazement at the sight. Before her was a young woman wearing dingy khakis, a blousy white buttoned shirt, and a dirty red bandanna around her neck. She looked like something climbing right from "Out of Africa". Her hair was pulled back, but much of it had escaped and was framing her face. Backlit by the lights of the plane, it looked like a halo framing her face.

As the woman noticed her and looked up, Lena's froze as she came face-to-face with the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. She felt her breath catch in her throat as the woman's face broke into a wide smile.

"Dr. Luthor, I presume?" The woman said, much too cheerfully given the pouring rain and near-disastrous landing. She wiped her hand on her pants and reached towards Lena to shake.

They stood regarding each other in the relative quiet under the plane wing, out of the rain that was pounding down around them. Lena shook herself out of her amazement to shake hands and attempt to speak out loud.

"Yes. Precisely." She took a deep, needed breath as she shook the hand of the woman who seemed to have dropped out of the eye of the storm. "And you...don't look like Enrico."

"Right. Yes. Well, no. I mean...You're correct. I'm not Enrico..." The woman continued with her disarming smile. "My name is Kara. Danvers. I'm Kara Danvers...I'm your pilot!"

Lena tried to pull herself together. "Ms. Danvers. It's lovely to meet you. However, I was not expecting...I mean... I was expecting a seasoned and experienced pilot. I have a lot of ground to cover in a short amount of time. There will likely be difficult weather conditions and rough landings on very sketchy..."

"Dr. Luthor, I assure you, I've had a great deal of experience flying under difficult conditions and especially in this terrain...I was a pilot for..."

"Excuse me, Ms. Danvers...I was promised a pilot with 20 years of experience. No offense intended...but, you don't appear to be much over 20 years of age. How much experience can you have flying a plane?!"

"Oh, yes. I understand. I know I look very young, but I...well. I'm older than I look..." Lena watched the smile fade from the woman's face and felt instant regret. Even though she was speaking her mind, suddenly nothing she had to say seemed worth the loss of that smile.

"I apologize, Ms. Danvers. I don't mean to judge you." Lena interrupted, unable to bear more of the woman's sad tone. "You're just...not what I was expecting. I'm sure you're a capable pilot. It's just that I have a very limited amount of time..."

"You're right. I am a very capable pilot." Suddenly the woman seemed to regain her composure and looked her straight in the eye. "Yes, the company originally planned to send Enrico. But he had a family emergency. His wife..."

Lena watched the pilot's face crumble at the thought of her colleague's family difficulties. Lena felt her day going from bad to worse. "Please. You don't need to explain. It's just...I have an important mission. This mission could make or break my career..."

"I have to ask, is this because I'm a woman?" The pilot broke in.

"What!? How could you think...? Ms. Danvers, I assure you that has nothing to do with my concern."

"Dr. Luthor, I have been flying since I was young. And I've lived in this region for years, ever since..." The woman seemed to catch herself and quickly changed the subject. She took a deep breath. "Please, give me a chance to prove myself." The pilot said hopefully. Lena felt a surge in her heart, suddenly feeling desperate not to say no to this woman.

_Come on, Luthor! This is your dream, you can't let it get derailed just because the most attractive woman you've ever seen just dropped out of the sky. This is not at all what you were promised! A rookie pilot will put everything you've worked for at risk. You have to stand up for yourself!_ Lena thought to herself.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Danvers. I just can't afford the risk..." Lena watched as the woman's smile became a distant memory from her face and disappointment was clear in her eyes. 

"I understand, ma'am. Tonight when I check in with Base I'll let them know that I am not acceptable for your mission."

Lena's gut twisted as she watched the woman turn and move back into the plane. She emerged a moment later with a large pack.

"Apologies, ma'am, given the weather, we should stay here tonight regardless of who is available to be your pilot. I won't be able to check in for 3 more hours, then I can update you on the situation."

"Thank you for understanding, Ms. Danvers. It's just...this mission is really critical to my career...to my credibility, to my future....I just can't..."

"Please. Doctor. I read you loud and clear. It's unfortunate that you won't give me a chance. I assure you, I'm an excellent pilot and would do everything in my power to get you where you need to go as quickly and as safely as possible." 

Lena stood speechless as she watched her removing more gear from the plane.

"Dr. Luthor, if you don't mind, would you please sit inside the plane while I set up camp? There's really no other place where you can shelter out of the rain."

Lena stood speechless as the woman brushed past her with an incredible amount of stuff piled on her back and in her arms. Lena's heart thumped as she watched her stride into the rain. She wanted to call out and stop her - anything to remove her memory of that despondent expression. But she stopped, reminding herself that needed every advantage she could muster to make this mission succeed.

Half an hour later the pilot emerged from the jungle with a heavy duty raincoat and umbrella. She handed them over to Lena and asked her to follow closely.

She stopped in front of a drenched tent and pulled back the flap for Lena. "I found a good spot for your tent. It's relatively protected by tree branches and I think you'll be able to keep dry until morning. Go ahead and settle in and I'll be back after my check in. I should warn you, this is the busy season, it may take time to find another available pilot."

"Ms Danvers...I hope you understand that this is nothing personal. It's just...this is no joy ride for me. My career, my dream for finding..." Lena's voice dropped off. She could see she wasn't helping the situation. 

"Here's some food. I'll be back as soon as I know more." She said, ignoring Lena's comment and handing over a bag. Then she was gone.

Lena sat in the tent she paged through her notes with a flashlight, waiting for the rain to let up or the pilot to return. She tried to shake the guilty feeling in the pit of her stomach. 

Two hours later the woman returned with the news that it would be 4 days before another pilot would be available and able to reach the area. Lena was speechless at the news.

"Well, good-night, doctor." She said. "Do you have everything you need?"

"No, I, yes...thank you." Lena said, still stunned. "Good-night Ms. Danvers."

Lena's heart sank as she watched the other woman leave, securing her tent flap on as she left. Every day that passed was reducing her chances for a successful mission. She had to be back on campus before the fall semester started in order to fulfill her teaching duties. She had a very limited time to make this mission work. She could hear the clock ticking in her head as she tried to sleep. 

+++

Kara flopped down in her tent feeling soaked, frustrated, and exhausted. She'd worked double time preparing all the gear and provisions for this trip, then flown in difficult conditions to keep the archaeologist on schedule, which she understood was very important to her. The more she thought about it the more angry she became. After all that, to just be dismissed out of hand, not even given a chance to explain her experience! Just because she looked young. Or maybe it was because she was a woman? That thought incensed her even more. _You don't know that_ She told herself, trying to keep calm. It was unlike her to get so worked up. Usually she was a very laid back and easy going person. It took a lot to rattle her, but this was too much.

_It wouldn't be the first time someone underestimated me because I'm a woman._ Kara thought. She couldn't help it, the woman had gotten under skin. Kara had let herself get excited about the idea of helping out on an archaeological mission. She'd looked up the woman's academic credentials and become even more excited because she was clearly brilliant. She'd even seen her picture on her university staff page, but none of that had prepared her for meeting the stunning woman in person. Kara tried to remain composed as they hashed through everything in the middle of the storm. She was proud of herself for remaining professional when the archaeologist absolutely refused to give her a chance. Now, alone in her tent she was free to wallow in her frustration and disappointment.

"Oh well, at least I got another gig lined up quickly." She said aloud, knowing her voice would be drowned out by the rain. "Great, now I'm talking to myself. This is what she's brought me to..." 

Kara laid staring at the ceiling of her tent. "OK, Danvers, time to move on. Accept that you aren't going on an exciting mission with the brilliant, gorgeous archaeologist and start wrapping your mind around the next mission. And while you're at it, please stop talking to yourself." Finally, she was able to laugh at herself, accepting her fate and eventually falling asleep.

+++

Lena was having no such luck. She spent a fitful night, trying to figure out what to do. Eventually she decided she couldn't bear losing 4 days of her trip, if there was anything to be done about it.

The next morning Lena woke to the smell of a campfire and bacon cooking. She climbed out of the tent feeling damp and crumpled. She walked to the camp fire to find the pilot looking completely put together. _And beautiful._ Lena thought wistfully to herself.

"Good morning. Are you hungry?" The pilot asked. Lena detected a note of annoyance underlying her greeting. Putting herself in the her shoes, Lena couldn't blame her.

"Famished." Lena said as she was handed a plate piled with food, more than twice what she would normally eat for breakfast. Lena smiled sheepishly. Might as well bite the bullet and get it over with.

"Ms. Danvers. I...well, I've reconsidered my decision. I'd like to go ahead with my mission." Lena took a deep breath. "With you as my pilot..."

The woman looked up at her quickly. It felt like her eyes were piercing Lena's soul. "Oh? Desperate times call for desperate measures, I suppose."

"Yes, I, no...I'm very sorry about last night. I just...you're so young and...I'm sure you're a great pilot...I just..." Lena's voice dropped off and the woman stayed quiet. "I'm sorry I didn't give you a chance."

The woman continued eating her breakfast. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I accepted a different assignment last night when I called in. As soon as I can get you to the town near here I'm headed back to the city."

Lena cursed her luck. Stuck in some remote village for four days, more than a hundred miles from where she needed to be.

"Ms. Danvers, please. I understand you aren't happy with me for insisting on another pilot last night. As I've said, I'm on an important mission. A search for an important artifact. A map, rather, that could lead to even greater archaeological discoveries. And I've only got 7 weeks to do it. I can't afford to lose 4 days - that's nearly 10% of my trip! Please. Please, Ms. Danvers, will you reconsider?" At this point Lena was not above begging.

At that the pilot glanced up to look her in the eye for a few moments, as if weighing her decision. 

"I'm sorry, Dr. Luthor. You clearly had your heart set on a very different type of pilot. And I'm better off working for a client that values my abilities. I've accepted another mission. How does that look for me to back out now? I need to consider my career as well."

"Ms. Danvers, please. I made a mistake. I promise, I do value your abilities. What if I offered you..." Lena caught herself. She realized she was about to offer the pilot a large amount of money, when it suddenly occurred to her that she no longer had large amounts of money to offer. And now that she'd been disowned, she was a long way from obtaining that type of money in the near future.

She decided to throw herself on the woman's mercy, without anything else to offer. "Please. I'm sorry I doubted you...I...is there anything I can say to make it up to you?"

The pilot stayed quietly stirring the fire.

"You could be a part of something very exciting and important! If my calculations are correct, well, this could be the biggest archaeological discovery of the decade." Lena took a deep breath. "Please. Ms. Danvers. I...I need you." 

"I don't know, doctor. Seems quite risky for you to trust a green horn like me..." 

Lena was relieved to see a very slight upturn in the corner of her mouth. She felt her heart skip at the memory of her full smile on her arrival the day before. Maybe she still had a chance after all.

"Is there anything I can say to change your mind?" Lena pleaded.

"Relax, doctor. I'll see what I can do. I can check-in with HQ in an hour. I'll ask whether it's too late to send your pilot on my assignment instead."

_You're my pilot._ The thought jumped into Lena's head unbidden as she searched the deep blue eyes for teasing.

"Really?" Lena asked, putting the thought aside and daring to hope.

"Of course. Far be it from me to stand in the way of a woman and her dream..." Kara looked like she was fighting a smirk.

Lena ignored her teasing and plowed ahead. "Thank you, Ms. Danvers. Thank you. I can't tell you what this means to me. Just...thank you!" Lena said, for once feeling at a loss for words. She reached out and squeezed Kara's hand, which was resting on her knee. Lena felt a jolt to her core. She saw Kara's eyes widen in surprise and she drew back her hand quickly.

"Sorry, I, don't know what came over me." Lena stammered.

"You know, something tells me that some day I'll be telling people about this trip- my trip with the famous Lena Luthor! Whether you find your thing-a-ma-jig on this trip or not, I can see you're going places." The pilot said with a full smirk. "Assuming, that is, that I don't get you killed due to my lack of experience..."

Lena started to protest, but realized she was being teased and shouldn't fall for it. Instead she enjoyed seeing that twinkle and a partial smile again. Lena wondered whether (hoped?) she might earn a full one again soon.

"Thank you, Ms. Danvers. You're my hero - you're really saving me!" Lena said. "And if there's anything I can do for you..." Lena stopped herself, realizing how suggestive it sounded. She hadn't meant it to suggest something physical. But Lena was well aware of how people reacted to her. Long ago she had learned to give off an air of unobtainability to discourage interest. 

"What I mean is.." Lena stammered, trying to clarify her meaning.

"Save it, doctor." The pilot said, holding up her hand. "There is something I want from you."

_Here we go._ Lena thought. She couldn't help but notice the pilot's eyes raking over her body the night before. Suddenly Lena realized she was holding her breath, and that she was actually torn between wanting this breathtaking pilot to ask for something physical from her, and at the same time knowing that was not the type of person she wanted to put her trust in for the next 2 months.

"Anything you want." Lena said, shocked to realize she meant it.

"Just...please. Call me Kara."


	2. Up, Up, and Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the re-posting. For people that read this chapter yesterday this is the same, with a small addition to Kara's backstory.

To Lena's relief, Kara was able to get another pilot to fill in for the other mission she had accepted late the night before. She was anxious that they get on their way, so they quickly packed and fueled up that same morning.

Due to the pouring rain and surprise about her young pilot, Lena hadn't had a chance to look closely at the plane the night before. Now that she did, she dearly wished she hadn't. It was clearly quite old. She realized she hadn't actually asked about the age, only the make and model of the plane. _Rookie mistake._ she thought to herself. It occurred to her that they'd been making these planes since the mid-1980s.

As she examined the plane she looked up to see Kara coming over with another large pile of bags and equipment. Due to the heat, Kara and stripped down to a tight white tank, and her skin was gleaming with sweat. Lena couldn't help but pause her inspection of the plane to watch Kara loading the cargo hold. 

_This woman's biceps will be the death of my concentration._ Lena thought to herself.

Kara threw the last of the bags into the hold, slammed the hatch and wiped her hands on her pants. She turned to Lena and smiled when she saw Lena looking at her. Lena quickly resumed her examination of the place, cursing her wandering eyes.

"So, we're all set with the gear. Do you have your first set of coordinates ready?" Kara asked.

"Yes, sorry, I...everything's in the cockpit and ready to go." Lena stammered, her cheeks turning red. She was sure she had been caught eyeing Kara.

"Excellent." Kara pulled open the cockpit door with a friendly smile and held out her hand to help Lena into the plane. "After you, doctor."

Lena couldn't resist accepting her hand. "Remember, you promised to call me Lena."

"Of course." She smiled as Lena climbed in and then followed behind her as soon as she was settled in. 

"Lena." Kara said as she fell into her seat, seeming to enjoy the sound of it.

Lena felt her heart skip slightly at the sound of her name on Kara's lips. She pulled herself together and pressed on. 

"So, Ms. Danv..I mean, Kara." Lena caught herself. "This Zenith STOL, what year was it built?"

"Oh, you know planes, huh?" Kara said enthusiastically. "Well, this is one of the very early Zeniths, built in 1988!"

"So this plane...is over 30 years old?" Lena said warily.

"Um, yes. But no need to worry! I've taken excellent care of her." Kara patted the dashboard affectionately. "And I'm also a mechanic. Nothing can go wrong with my baby that I can't fix."

_This plane is older than I am. And definitely older than she is..."_ Lena thought to herself. She stopped herself from any further comment about the plane and reminded herself that she was lucky to be taking off at all that day. Especially given that she had just fired this pilot the day before and had to throw herself on her mercy so that she wouldn't lose 4 days waiting for another to arrive.

"So...up, up and away?" Kara asked excitedly.

Lena took a deep breath and tried to sound as confident as she could.

"Absolutely."

***

Their first flight was short and the landing was uneventful. Lena leaped out of the plane with her pack with equipment and maps, anxious to explore the site. As she headed off Kara called after her.

"Wait! We should come up with a plan for communications. There's no cell service here, but you can take this with you." Kara pulled some electronics out of her pack and handed her a small handheld unit. "It's like a walkie-talkie, with a built in GPS. If anything goes wrong, you can send me your position just by pushing this button." Kara paused to show her how to do it.

"Within a certain range we can communicate over the radio." Kara demonstrated the call and return buttons.

"Excellent! Thanks, Kara. This is very thoughtful of you." Lena said.

"Well, I wouldn't be much of a pilot if I came back without my client." Kara said.

"Right. Well. I appreciate you being so conscientious." Lena blushed, realizing it probably sounded silly to say she was being thoughtful when really she was just being professional. Why did this woman unnerve her so? Lena wasn't used to feeling anything but confident around others. Being born into a rich and powerful family had given her a certain feeling of entitlement, which she recognized and tried to keep in check.

"So, maybe I'm not so bad for a rookie, huh?" Kara said with a smirk.

"I..." Lena started to explain but Kara cut her off.

"I'm only teasing you. I'm sorry, I can be terribly annoying. I can't tell you how many times I've nearly been strangled by my sister..."

"Annoying isn't the adjective that comes to mind." Lena said huskily, interrupting Kara. _Oops! Lena, try to keep the thirst under wraps..._ She mentally warned herself.

And there it was again - the full smile from Kara that she hadn't seen since meeting her the day before. Lena couldn't resist smiling back at her, despite turning red with embarrassment. She wondered if her drooling over the pilot was as obvious to Kara as it felt to her.

"So, as I was saying...these walkies are great, unless you go underground or in a cave. It would be helpful for you to show me on your map what you're planning to do each day and let me know about how long you plan to be gone. That way, if you're way overdue I'll know where to look. There are a lot of things in the jungle that could...be challenging for you..."

Lena balked at the thought of showing Kara her map of potential treasure sites. She felt very protective of her research and nervous that someone could find her objects before she could. "Listen, I know I look like a pasty east-coast egghead...well, technically I AM a pasty east-coast egghead. But, I'm tougher than I look! You don't have to take care of me."

"Well, technically, that is my job. So if you don't mind, it's important that I at least have some idea what you're planning each day. I promise, I'm not trying to find out your secrets."

"Sorry. Maybe I'm a bit paranoid. I feel like I'm just...so close. If someone gets there before me, well, all my work would be undone in an instant."

"Listen, Lena. It's going to be just you and me for much of the next 7 weeks. You're going to have to trust me. I promise, I'm only concerned with your safety." Kara assured her.

"Right, of course." Why did Lena feel she could trust this woman? She'd known her less than 24 hours. Even so, she pulled out her map and the two women plopped on to the ground to look at it together. Lena gulped as Kara moved her body close and leaned her head near Lena to see the map as she explained her plan in detail. Lena realized with frustration that the woman was not only the most attractive person she'd met, but somehow she smelled good, despite her night in the jungle. Lena was sure she didn't smell nearly as appealing and was already missing her morning shower.

After their recon discussion, Kara packed some food for Lena to take for the day. As Lena headed out, Kara began working to set up their camp. That day Lena walked over a huge area, searching for a hidden cave in the area that she was able to detect from high-resolution satellite imagery. As she walked Lena had a lot of time to be in her own head, and found her thoughts wandering to the beautiful pilot who seemed so on the ball, and was showing such interest in her well-being. Lena was finding it very difficult not to think about her, despite her best efforts.

_This is your fault, Luthor! You've been too wrapped up in your research and neglecting your personal life. Now you're acting like a horny school girl because you haven't gotten laid in months. You absolutely cannot let yourself get involved, it would put your whole mission at risk!_

She spent the rest of the day hiking for hours over the tough terrain. Parts of the jungle were very dense and her progress slowed to a crawl as she fought her way through. Kara had warned her there might be tough spots, depending on where she was going, but she hadn't thought much about it. Despite her long sleeves and pants she was still getting pretty scratched up as the day went by. Every hour she sent Kara her location as they had agreed. Lena felt a bit ridiculous, but it only took a moment and she knew it was the responsible thing to do, especially since she had given up having a field assistant and was out on her own.

Following clues in the landscape she eventually found the spot she had identified from the image. She found the opening and moved into a small cave excitedly. She powered up a high-output lantern and began moving through the cave inch by inch, trying to find some type of passage that would lead to an area large enough to hold what she was seeking. She measured the thickness of the rock using an instrument she had invented, _Litheometer, no Luthometer._ she pondered to herself what to call it as she tested the cave. Soon it was clear the cave could not hold what she was looking for. Eventually she flopped to the ground in frustration. This was one of the places she had high hopes for, which is why she had started there.

After cursing for several minutes to herself, Lena realized the sun was starting to go down, and she need to head for camp. Thanks to Kara's suggestion about taking a point and navigating back to it, she didn't have to bother with the map. She made it back as dusk was easing to night. Kara greeted her and stoked the fire to warm some food for her. Lena gratefully plopped down nearby. Despite her frustration, seeing Kara's smile made her feel slightly better.

"So...how was your day?" Kara asked as she handed Lena a plate.

"Exhausting. You were right. I ran into some tough parts of the jungle. Ultimately I found the place I was searching for, but, no luck." Lena said.

"Well, there's always tomorrow." Kara said brightly. "At least you have a place you can check off your list!"

"Are you always so optimistic?" Lena asked.

"Um...well, yes! Another one of my qualities that can be annoying at times..." Kara admitted, her voice trailing off.

_You can get on my nerves any time you like. In fact, you could get on anything you wanted..._ Lena thought before chastising herself for her wandering thoughts.

"No, I...don't find it annoying. Actually it's nice to hear some encouragement after the day I've had." As the fire heated up Lena took off her long sleeved cotton shirt, revealing her arms severely scratched up by the dense forest. She hadn't actually realized how bad they were.

"Lena, you weren't kidding about getting into dense jungle!" Kara remarked. "You know, I have some salve that will help with the healing. Should also make it feel better." 

"I'm fine, Kara. Don't worry about it." But Kara was already up and headed to her tent. She emerged moments later with a jar and handed it to Lena.

Lena rubbed it into her arms and had to admit, it was very soothing.

"Thanks, Kara. This stuff is amazing."

"You've got...scratches on your back as well. Do you want me to..." Kara's voice dropped off. Lena looked up at her, realizing she was offering to apply it. Against her better judgement Lena handed the jar over without saying a word. She realized she was holding her breath at the thought of Kara's hands on her bare skin.

Kara took the jar and moved behind her. Lena remembered how skimpy her tank was, and knew much of back was exposed. As Kara began to apply the ointment Lena was not expecting the intense sensation that coursed through her. She was sure Kara must have noticed her back jerk with her sudden intake of breath at Kara's touch. She tried not to think about the feelings Kara's fingers on her skin were causing. At last Kara finished and moved back to her seat by the fire.

_Of course, she has amazing hands as well._ Lena thought to herself.

"Thanks, Kara. It really does feel a lot better."

"You're welcome. It should also help it heal faster and prevent infection. I get the salve from a woman in the village where I live. She makes it from plants she collects from the forest."

Lena started to ask about where Kara lived, but before she could Kara changed the subject.

"So, tell me more about your mission." Kara said.

Lena explained that this was her first real chance at doing independent field research. Much of her doctoral research was focused on a possibly mythical civilization she learned about through studying ancient texts. Most scholars had come to believe they were mythical, but Lena found evidence that led her to believe that they were not only real, but that there was a relic hidden in these forests that was essentially a map leading to the lost civilization. For part of her dissertation she'd created a new map using high-resolution hyperspectral satellite imagery to identify all potential caves and underground spaces that might not be visible to the naked eye. If she could find the relic map in the next 7 weeks she would be able to secure more funding and continue on to hopefully some day find the ruins of the city.

"Wow. Very impressive. I'm surprised you're doing all this on your own. Seems like more of a 2-person operation, at least."

"Yes, well. I wasn't fully funded for this mission. And until I can show success I have to keep costs as low as possible."

"Ah-ha! Now I know why you reached out to my company." Kara laughed. "Don't get me wrong, we have some top-notch pilots. But we don't exactly have the latest and greatest machines. Which means the value is passed on to you, the consumer." Kara smiled, acknowledging her joke trying to sound like a bad commercial.

Lena couldn't help but smile at that. _Why does she have to be so incessantly adorable?_ Lena asked herself.

"Kara, about last night, I want to apologize..." Lena said, changing the subject to something that felt like a cloud hanging over her.

"It's water under the bridge." Kara said, interrupting. "I'm glad you decided to give me a chance, even though I'm not your first choice. I can't help my baby face - but I'm no newbie at flying. You'll see. By the end of this trip you won't believe you ever doubted me."

"I'm sure that's true. I really appreciate you giving me a second chance, especially after lining up another mission. That was very kind of you."

"It's exciting to be a part of something so important." Kara stated simply.

"Well, let's hope it is. Many missions seem important at the beginning. But if I fail..."

"Then let's do everything we can to see that you don't." Kara said, cutting her off. "You know, since we're not moving camp tomorrow there's not much to do here. Why don't I come out and help you? You know, two eyes are better than one? I can help with your gear. And it's definitely safer for you..."

"Kara, that's a very nice offer, but that's really not your job. I wouldn't want to impose."

"You're not imposing. I'm offering."

"I know, you're worried you'll have to come pull this egghead out of a crevasse..."

"You appear to be a very capable egghead. Just because you're beautiful doesn't mean...wait, that's not what I meant. I mean, just because you're a supersmart egghead doesn't mean you can't find your way around the jungle." Kara caught herself, her face beet red. "Sorry, I...saying things I don't mean is another one of my annoying traits."

Lena couldn't help but laugh at her slip. "I see. So you don't think I'm beautiful?" She teased. Lena had yet to meet anyone who didn't find her beautiful.

"No, I...I mean yes. Of course I think...what I mean to say is, that I often say things that I don't mean to say out loud. Not necessarily that I don't...mean." Kara stammered. "Besides, you're my client, I...hadn't really thought about it one way or the other."

"Clearly." Lena smiled. "And I can assure you that I haven't noticed that you're one of the most attractive people I've ever met. It simply hasn't crossed my mind." Lena finally felt like she was on even ground with the woman who was regularly causing her heart to miss a beat just with a look.

One side of Kara's mouth turned up in a confused half smile. Lena could tell she wasn't sure how to take what she'd said. She decided it best to change the subject before they got going down the wrong path.

"The truth is, Kara, that I had planned to have someone helping, and there would be plenty to do if you wanted to join me on days you didn't have a lot of other things you need to do in camp. I just don't want you to feel like you're under any obligation to look out for me. As you observed already, I am a perfectly capable egghead."

"I'd love to come along. I've never on an important archaeological mission before!" Kara enthused. "I'm always up for adventure, it's largely why I got into this business."

"Wow. Well, I appreciate the help." Lena smiled and looked back at the fire as another thought crossed her mind.

"So, how long have you been in this business?" Lena regretted the question as soon as it was out of her mouth. She knew immediately after she'd said it that Kara would take it as questioning her experience, when really she just wanted to know more about this beautiful, mysterious woman who seemed to be content flying around difficult missions in tough jungle terrain for weeks to months on end. She couldn't help but be curious about her private life. 

Kara looked down at the fire without speaking.

"I'm sorry, Kara. You don't need to answer that. It wasn't that I'm doubting your experience, I just..."

"It's OK, Lena. I don't mind you asking. It just...brings up some not-fun memories..."

"Please, forget I asked." Lena deeply regretted how she had so drastically changed the woman's face from smiling to almost despondent.

"The truth is...I was in the Air Force...for many years." Kara took a deep breath. "In fact, I was commissioned as a Captain."

"Really, Kara. You don't need to tell me. You don't owe me any explanation..." Lena assured her.

"I was one of their top Airman. I was actually the youngest woman captain, ever. But it didn't last long."

"I...what happened?" Lena could no longer suppress her curiosity.

"Well it was several years ago. Before the end of 'don't ask, don't tell'..."

"Don't ask, don't tell?" Lena asked. "You don't mean the rule about gays not being allowed in the military?"

"That's exactly what I mean." Kara said. 

Lena stayed quiet, wanting Kara to feel free to end the story right there. But eventually she spoke up again.

"You see, I'd fallen in love with another cadet in my squad. We'd been sneaking around. Of course there are gays in the military, just like there are gays in any line of work. But we had to be very careful. And there was always the risk that someone would 'out' you if they had any proof and motivation. Even a jealous ex, if they weren't worried about incriminating themselves, could end your career. It was a terrible way to live. But I longed to be a pilot and for adventure. And I had no way to pay for training to be a pilot except through my ROTC scholarship. And, honestly, apart from Don't Ask Don't Tell, I loved being in the Air Force. And I deserved to be a Captain. I worked my ass off...." Kara's voice dropped off.

"I don't doubt that for a minute." Lena said, then couldn't resist urging her to continue. "So...it was a jealous ex..."

"Yeah. We'd dated in high school and I kinda broke his heart. He was a nice guy, very handsome and charming, but all he really cared about was partying and sex. His parents treated him like he was a little prince, and ultimately I got bored with him. But he followed me to the same college, and one night he came into my dorm room when my girlfriend and I were, um...well. Anyway, let's just say he had eye-witness evidence.

"You mean, he had pictures?" Lena said in shock.

"No. But when they asked me about it...I wouldn't lie. It just seemed wrong. My girlfriend was furious with me. I don't think she ever really forgave me for that."

When I didn't deny it they had no choice but discharge us both. She was even more devastated than I was. She wasn't out to her family and they didn't take it so well. I tried to convince her we could leave it all behind and make it work without the Air Force, without family support. But she wasn't ready. She wasn't ready to be out and deal with all the repercussions. She left me not long after we were discharged."

"I'm so sorry, Kara." Lena said when Kara got quiet.

"The truth is, I really missed the excitement. And with my less-than-honorable discharge I wasn't having a lot of luck finding the type of position I wanted in the States. That's how I ended up here. And, well, there's been no shortage of adventure..." Her voice dropped off as she continued staring into the fire.

Lena failed again to control her curiosity about Kara. "Does it ever get lonely, always on missions and never staying in one place?" She quickly caught herself again. "I'm sorry, don't answer that! Also none of my business..."

"No, it's OK. Sure. I mean...there are plenty of...well, short-term chances for...physical connections..." Kara said, then suddenly looked up at Lena. "I don't mean with clients! Please forget what I just said about connections, that sounded terrible. Very unprofessional."

"It doesn't sound terrible at all. I'm sure you are beating them off with sticks." Lena huffed a chuckle, imaging the affect a woman like Kara had on men and women alike.

"Well, that's not how I would put it. Sticks aren't really my thing." Kara got a devious grin. "Though maybe a whip, now and then..."

"Ha!" A shocked laugh burst from Lena. _Wow, that was quite a smooth change of subject._ Lena thought. _I wonder if she's that cavalier about it or just covering for pain?_

"Sorry for letting things get so heavy there. That's all in the past. I've got a great life. As much as I loved the Air Force, it was too limiting for me, mandating that I be in the closet and so careful all the time. I'm much better off as an independent agent." Kara insisted.

"Well, I feel very fortunate to have an Air Force Captain taking care of me." Lena gulped, realizing how that might sound. "Especially after I was such an ass when I arrived."

"Former Air Force Captain." Kara corrected. "And like I said, it's water under the bridge. Kara stared into the fire for a while, before eventually speaking again. So, are we on for tomorrow?"

"It's a date." Lena said, catching herself again. "I mean, yes, I'd love it if you wanted to join the search tomorrow."

"It would be my pleasure. In the meantime, you should probably get some sleep. The earlier we get started the more ground we'll be able to cover before dark. I'll have breakfast ready at Zero Dark Thirty!"

"I can't wait...I mean, uh...thank you." Lena stammered, then hopped up to head for her tent and escape her embarrassment. 

"Sweet dreams, Lena." Kara said as she began putting out the fire.

Lena climbed into her sleeping bag, feeling exhausted. Yet she felt her heart beating faster than usual at the thought of spending the day with Kara. 

"Sweet dreams, indeed." Lena murmured quietly to herself as she rolled over in her bag, willing herself to think pure thoughts.

+++

Kara prepared the camp for the night, washing dishes and hanging the food. She knew they were in an area where their food might attract predators and she didn't want to take any chances.

When she finally laid down in her sleeping bag Kara lay awake starring at the ceiling, trying to go to sleep. The feeling of touching Lena's skin had started her heart to race and now she was thinking about it again. Even with the scratches, Lena's skin was exquisite. Normally Kara didn't join clients in the field unless they paid for her guiding services. But when she saw Lena's back she knew she had to do something. She may be brilliant, but Lena clearly didn't have experience in this type of jungle. She didn't think she could stand to see her so scratched up again.

She chided herself for her slip-up, accidentally calling Lena beautiful. Then, to make matters worse, opening up about her past. It was very unprofessional and not like her at all. She’d learned over time not to be too open with her clients. They often got the wrong idea about her friendliness. Her sister she told her it was one of the downsides of being gorgeous and likeable - people tended to fall for her quickly, especially after spending a lot of time with her on trips. Kara had learned how to be friendly while keeping a professional distance. 

But there was something about this woman that caused her to let her guard down. She couldn't help but be drawn to her and Kara knew she would would have a hard time saying no to her, whether it was to give information or anything else. She tried not to think about Lena in her tent, just 10 meters away.

"Focus up, airman! Keep your mind on your mission." She said out loud to herself then abruptly flipped over and willed herself to think pure thoughts. It was going to be a long 7 weeks.


End file.
